A  BOOK  OF  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM 
AND   DESIGN 


FIG.  i. — Bermuda  Easter  Lily.     Flowers  white,  cone  shaped. 
FIG.  2. — Lilium  Candidum.    White  flowers.   Height  2  feet. 


Height  2  feet. 


SSSffA-BQOK-OF 

STVDIGS'IN'PLANT 
FORM-WITH-SOMG 


SV66GSTIONS  : 


FORTHeiR-APPLlG 
ATION-TO-D6SI6N 
BY-A6-V-LILLGY 
AND-W-CDID6LGY 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 
1896 


FIG.   3. — Violet.     Five  inches  high,  running  growth. 


PREFACE 

ONE  of  the  "  notes  "  of  recent  decorative  art  has  been  its 
comparative  disuse  of  the  elements  and  forms  of  historic 
ornament,  and  its  return  to  Nature,  and  especially  to  floral 
forms,  for  inspiration.  Now  it  is  seldom  that  the  plant 
.  most  suitable  for  a  particular  design  is  in  season  when  it 
is  wanted,  and  it  is  often  so  difficult  (sometimes  impossible) 
to  find  a  drawing  of  the  ornamental  side  of  many  plants, 
that  the  authors  venture  to  hope  that  designers  of  all  kinds  will 
welcome  a  series  of  more  or  less  decorative  drawings  and  photo- 
graphs from  nature.  Their  work  is,  however,  intended  in  the 
first  instance  for  students,  and  it  was  felt  that  to  them  a  collec- 
tion of  suggestive  designs  would  be  even  more  useful  than  the 
naturalistic  drawings.  The  authors  have  tried,  therefore,  to  show 
how  their  plant  forms  might  be  simplified  and  converted  into 
ornament,  and  have  included  designs  for  simple  space  filling,  and 
also  for  such  processes  as  gesso,  stencilling,  wall  papers,  textiles, 
and  so  on. 


2065953 


viii  PREFACE 

To  make  the  book  more  useful  to  art  classes  a  short  summary 
is  given  of  the  principles  of  design,  but  students  are  strongly  re- 
commended to  study  the  exhaustive  treatment  of  this  important 
subject  in  Mr.  F.  G.  Jackson's  two  books  on  Principles  and 
Practice  of  Design. 

Concise  accounts  are  also  included  of  the  technical  require- 
ments of  the  different  piocesses  illustrated  ;  information  so 
essential  in  practical  designing. 


FIG.  4. — Mistletoe.     Berries  white-green. 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I 
PRINCIPLES  OF  DESIGN 


CHAPTER  II 
SPACE  FILLING 17 

CHAPTER  III 
BORDERS 26 

CHAPTER  IV 
ALL-OVER  PATTERNS 37 

CHAPTER  V 
GESSO  .    .   . -. 45 

CHAPTER  VI 
EMBROIDERY 56 

CHAPTER  VII 
TEXTILES 69 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  VIII 

PAGE 

STENCILLING 90 


CHAPTER  IX 
WALL  PAPERS 106 

CHAPTER  X 
TILES   .  "9 


INDEX   TO  THE    ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  titles  of  the  designs  are  printed  in  italics. 


I'AGE 


Acanthus 55 

Anemone  (Autumn) 50 

Anemone  (Garden) 51 

Anemone  (Wood) 54 

Apple-blossom 93 

Apple-Fruit 55 

Apple  (Crab) 94 

Apple — Stencil  spot  pattern 95 

Arrowhead , 130 

Arrowhead — Tile  frieze 131 

Astrantia 38 

Bartonia  Aurea 37 

Bartonia — Spot  and  powder  pattern 37 

Blackberry 84 

Blackberry — Cretonne 85 

Blackthorn 12 

Blackthorn — Panel 17 

Blackthorn— Interchange  pattern 43 

Bluebell 47 

Bryony 33 

Buttercup 18 

Campanula 38 

Canary  Creeper 34 

Canary  Creeper — Border 34 

Canary  Creeper — Brocade 77 

Chestnut 68 

Chestnut — Fruit  and  buds 77 

Christmas  Rose 72 


xii  INDEX  TO  THE  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Christmas  Rose — Madras  muslin 71 

Chrysanthemum 28 

Chrysanthemum — Border 27 

Clematis 124 

Clematis — Tiles  diaper 123 

Columbine 3 

Convolvulus 33 

Convolvulus — Border 32 

Cookoo  Pint 98 

Cornflower 38 

Cornflower  (Perennial) 127 

Corn  (Indian)      80 

Crocus 56 

Crocus — Embroidered  book-cover 58 

Crown  Imperial 14 

Cyclamen 6 

Cyclamen — Card  back 20 

Cyclamen — Border  for  cup 32 

Daffodil 23 

Daffodil— Panel      22 

Daffodil— Panel      24 

Daffodil — Diaper 41 

Dahlia 126 

Dahlia — Tile  hearth      125 

Daisy  (Ox  eye) 53 

Dandelion 2 

Dandelion —  Card  back 20 

Dandelion — Cover  of  the  book 

Embroidery  stitches 65 

Escholtzia 5 

Plowering  rush , 122 

Flowering  rush — Tile  border 123 

Flowering  rush — Tile  diaper  pattern 119 

Fritillary 119 

Fuchsia 10 

Fungi 42 

Gladiolus  Colvillii 61 

Goatsbeard 4 

Goose  grass      39 

Goose  grass — Spot  and  powder  pattern 39 


INDEX  TO  THE  ILLUSTRATIONS  xiii 

V 

PAGE 

Goose  grass — Cretonne 81 

Grass  (Cotton) 57 

Grass  (Feather) 57 

Grass  (Goose) 39 

Grass  (Sea  Couch) 57 

Grass  (White  Darnel) 57 

Hazel 69 

Hawthorn  blossom , 25 

Hawthorn  stipules  and  leaves 27 

Hawthorn — Border 26 

Holly 69 

Holly  (Sea)      116 

Holly  (Sea)— Wall-paper     . 117 

Honeysuckle 71 

Honeysuckle — Tapestry 70 

Honeysuckle — Printed  muslin     88 

Honeysuckle  (Japanese) 68 

Hyacinth 47 

Indian  Corn So 

Iris  (Florentine)      91 

Iris  (German)      89 

Iris  (Purple) 92 

Iris — Stencil  frieze 90 

Iris  (Spanish)      64. 

Iris  (Spanish] — Embroidered  portiere 65 

Iris  (Wild) 91 

Ivy I 

Jessamine 62 

Jonquil 60 

Jonquil — Embroidered  book-cover 60 

fonquil — Gesso  panel 47 

Love-in-the  mist 59 

Love-in-the-mist — Embroidered  border 58 

Love-in-the-mist — Title-page  of  this  book 

Lily  (Arum) ico 

Lily  (Arum) 101 

Lily  (Wild  Arum) 98 

Lily  (Wild  Arum} — Stencilled  book-cover 99 

Lily  (Bermuda  Easter)      Frontispiece 

Lily — Wall  paper  dado 109 


INDEX  TO  THE  ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 


Lily  (Bermuda  Easter] —  Wall-paper  dado in 

Lily — Gesso  lock  plate 52 

Lily  (Candidum) Frontispiece 

Lily  (Croceum) 108 

Lily  (Martigon) .' 14 

Lily  (Martigoti) — Printed  book-cover 19 

Lily  of  the  Valley 9 

Lily  (Pomponicum) 108 

Lily  (Scarborough) 62 

Lily  (ScarborougJi) — Embroidered  border 63 

Lily  (Water) 104 

Lily  (  Water) — Embroidered  border 63 

Lily  (Water] — Stencilled  diaper 103 

Mallow  (Musk) 7 

Maple       69 

Marigold  (Marsh) 96 

Marrow  (Vegetable) 36 

Marsh  Marigold 96 

Marsh  Marigold — Stencilled  diaper 97 

Mistletoe viii 

Narcissi 46 

Nasturtium     66 

Nasturtium— Embroidered  day  ley      67 

Oak  (English) 69 

Oak  (Turkey) 69 

Pansy 13 

Passion  Flower 82 

Passion  Flower — Cretonne 81 

Pea  (Everlasting) 87 

Pea  (Garden) 87 

Pea  (Garden)— Cretonne 86 

Pea  (Sturt) 45 

Pear 93 

Peony 112 

Peony —  Wall-paper 113 

Pink 51 

Poppy  (Horned) 40 

Poppy  (Horned) — Sprig  pattern 39 

Poppy  (Iceland)     . 114 

Poppy  (Iceland}— Card  Back 20 


INDEX  TO  THE  ILLUSTRATIONS  xv 

PAGE 

Poppy  (Iceland) —  Wall-paper 115 

Poppy  (Opium) 128 

Poppy  (Opiniif) — Cretonne 83 

Poppy  (Opium) — Embossed  Tiles 129 

Poppy  (Oriental) no 

Potato 102 

Primula 106 

Reed  (Branched  Bur) 57 

Reed  (Paper) 57 

Rose  (Christmas) 72 

Rose  (Christmas) — Madras  muslin 72 

Rose  (Japanese) 76 

Rose  (Wild) 78 

Rose  ( Wild) — Cretonne 79 

Rush  (Flowering) 122 

Rush  (Flowering) — Tile  diaper 119 

Rush  (Flowering) — Upright  tile  border 123 

Sea  Holly 116 

Sea  Holly —  Wall-paper  • 117 

Seaweed 30 

Seaweed 31 

Seaweed — Border 32 

Snapdragon 61 

Snowdrop 80 

Sow  Thistle 8 

Strawberry 15 

Strawberry — Border 35 

Strawberry— Panel 24 

Sunflower 74 

Sunflower — Chenille  hanging 73 

Sunflower — Damask  table  cloth 75 

Sunflower  (Perennial) 16 

Teasel 118 

Teasel 120 

Teasel — Gesso  frame 52 

Teasel — Tile  diaper 121 

Thistle  (Prickly  Sow) 8 

Thistle  (Scotch) 21 

Thistle  (Scotch)— Spandril .  24 

Thistle  (Giant) 16 

Thorn-apple 29 

Thorn-apple — Border 29 


PAGE 

Tomato 102 

Tomato — Stencilted panel 103 

Tropceolum  Claratum 67 

Tulips 48 

Tulip — Card  back      20 

Tulip— Panel 22 

Tulip — Border 26 

Tulip  (Parrot) 44 

Tulip  (Parrot) — Gesso  panel 49 

Viola 13 

Violet vii 

Vegetable  Marrow 36 

Vetchling  (Meadow) 18 

Vine 105 

Vine — Ceiling-paper 107 


FIG.  5.— Ivy. 


STUDIES    IN    PLANT   FORM 
AND    DESIGN 


CHAPTER  I 

PRINCIPLES   OF  DESIGN 

IT  is  clear  that  no  student  will  be  able  to  invent  a  present- 
able piece  of  ornament  until  he  has  learned  the  difference 
between  a  good  line  and  a  bad  one,  between  a  fine  form 
and  a  mean  one,  and  between  harmonious  and  vulgar  colour. 
And  although  every  one  possesses  this  good  taste  in  some 
degree,  there  is  only  one  way  in  which  a  designer  can  develop 
it  sufficiently  for  his  needs  ;  he  must  read  a  little  thoughtfully 
and  diligently  in  Nature's  infinite  book  of — ornament.  Without 
this  study  of  Nature  principles  are  useless.  But  given  this,  they 
will  help. 

The  function  of  ornament  is  to  add  interest  to  construction  ; 

B 


STUDIES  IN   PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  6.— Dandelion.    Flowers  golden  yellow.     Height  15  inches. 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DESIGN 


so  that  perhaps  there  is,  after 
all,  only  one  "principle  of  orna- 
ment " — that  it  must  be  interest- 
ing. Interesting  first  because 
of  its  perfect  fitness  for  its  pur- 
pose ;  so  that  it  must  never  seem 
an  unnecessary  encumbrance  on 
an  object,  it  must  appear  to 
add  to  rather  than  detract  from 
its  usefulness.  Then  ornament 
must  be  interesting  as  an  ex- 
pression of  skill  and  craftsman- 
ship ;  it  must  never  seem 
laboured,  it  must  seem  to  be 
done  with  ease.  Above  all  it 
must  be  interesting  as  an  ex- 
pression of  life,  and  invention, 
and  individuality,  and  yet  never 
confused  or  hard  to  understand  ; 
it  must  seem  to  be  full  of  thought, 
but  thought  so  simplified  and 
ordered  as  to  be  followed  with- 
out fatigue.1  Perhaps  the  other 
principles  of  ornament  are  really 
devices  for  helping  the  designer 
to  fulfil  this  last  requirement — • 
to  make  the  most  of  his  inven- 
tion, and  to  give  to  his  orna- 
ment clearness  and  unity. 

Let  us  see  what  principles 
Nature  uses  in  one  of  her  perfect 
bits  of  ornament,  the  leaf  of  the 
cyclamen,  for  instance  (middle  of 
Fig.  io),and  consider  what  makes 
it  so  successful  as  a  design. 


FIG.  7. — Columbine.   Two  feet  high.  Flowers 
white  to  purple. 


1  It  is  true  that  a  certain  suggestion  of  mystery  is  sometimes  most  useful  in 
design  ;  but  it  must  be  quite  evident  that  the  designer  intends  it  to  be  a  mystery, 
and  does  not  expect  us  to  unravel  it. 

B   2 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  8.— Goatsbeard.     Flowers  yellow  ;  long  green  sepals  2  inches  acrosv 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DESIGN  5 

First  notice  its  striking  outline — a  bold  uncommon  curve, 
full  of  interest  and  variety  from  the  nearly  straight  point  to  the 
full  rounded  spiral  base ;  and  yet  a  curve  which  never  hesitates 
about  its  path,  which  increases  in  curvature  gradually  and  at  a 
certain  ordered  rate  throughout.  This  is  an  example  of  the 
great  principle  of  gradation.  If  the  student  will  consider  how 
much  of  the  beauty  of  a  child's  face  is  due  to  the  subtle 
gradations  of  light  and  shade  and  colour,  or  how  much  more 


FIG.  9. — Escholtzia.     Flowers  golden  yellow.    Height  15  inches. 


beautiful  is  a  perspective  of  a  building,  where  the  openings 
appear  to  gradually  decrease  as  they  recede  from  the  eye,  than 
the  architect's  elevation  where  they  are  all  the  same  size,  he 
will  sec  how  important  this  principle  is,  and  how  universal  in  its 
application.  Notice  next  that  the  two  sides  of  the  leaf  are 
symmetrical;  the  same  curve  is  repeated  on  both  sides,  reversed 
in  direction.  So  that  the  value  and  effect  of  every  part  of  the 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  to.— Cyclamen.     Flowers  white  and  crimson.     Height  10  inches. 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DESIGN 


curve  is  doubled  by  being  contrasted  with  the  corresponding  part 
on  the  other  side.  The  human  figure,  a  Greek  vase,  nearly  all 
beautiful  things  are  symmetrical,  and  symmetry  will  give  com- 
pleteness and  decorative  value  even  to  the  least  ornamental 
forms.  Symmetry,  too,  is  a  very  striking  case  of  the  universal 
device  of  contrast.  Every  one  knows  how  the  effect  of  forms 
and  colours  is  enhanced  by  being  placed  side  by  side  with  widely 
differing  forms  and  colours — as  the 
purple  cloud  against  the  orange  sky. 
The  first  thing  we  notice  about 
the  surface  decoration  of  the  leaf  is 
that  it  consists  of  a  number  of  spots 
evenly  (not  equally)  distributed  over 
it.  But  looking  at  them  more  closely 
we  shall  see  that  the  main  spots  are 
all  pretty  much  alike  in  shape.  If 
they  were  not,  each  spot  would  re- 
quire special  attention  in  order  to 
make  it  out,  which  no  one  would 
think  it  worth  while  to  give.  And 
so  the  thing  would  become  un- 
interesting because  it  would  be  so 
unwarrantably  hard  to  understand. 
This  repetition  of  parts  gives  an 
appearance  of  restfulness  and  unity 
to  a  composition  (as  do  the  columns 
of  a  temple)  ;  but  it  may  be  carried 
to  excess  and  create  monotony.  In 
our  leaf  this  danger  is  avoided  by 
making  all  the  spots  rather  different 
in  size.  And  yet  this  variety  is 
not  introduced  in  any  hap-hazard 

way;  if  it  were,  the  design  would  again  become  uninteresting 
because  of  its  confusion.  Very  much  of  a  designer's  art  consists 
in  so  balancing  his  work  that  it  never  bores  us  either  because  of 
its  monotony,  or  because  of  its  confusion.  In  the  leaf  the  spots 
gradually  become  smaller  from  the  base  to  the  point,  and  so  form 
an  ornamental  pattern — an  example  of  forms  not  in  themselves 


FIG.  ii. — Musk  Mallow.  Leaves  2 
inches  across  ;  flowers  white,  pink 
or  purple. 


8  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  12.— Prickly  Sow  Thistle.    Thirty  inches  high.     Yellow  flowers. 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DESIGN  9 

beautiful  becoming  ornament  by  being  thoughtfully  arranged 
in  obedience  to  the  principles  of  repetition,  variety,  and 
gradation. 

The  veins  of  the  leaf  give  an  example  of  radiation,  another 
invaluable  device  for  giving  to  a  design  unity  and  clearness 
without  losing  the  interest  of  variety.  To  see  how  many 
beautiful  things  are  designed  on  radiating  lines,  we  have  only 


FIG.  13. — Lily  of  the  Valley.     Flowers  white.     Running  root-stock. 

to  think  of  flowers,  wings,  shells,  drapery,  and  so  on.  Notice 
too  how  the  ends  of  the  veins  are  curved  round  into  the  outline. 
This  beautiful  flow  of  one  line  into  another  is  called  composition 
of  line,  and  is  of  the  utmost  value  in  design,  lying  at  the  very 
root  of  the  beauty  of  scrolls,  and  indeed  all  compositions  of 
curved  lines. 


10 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  14. — Fuchsia.     Flowers  crimson,  purple,  white,  and  red. 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DESIGN  il 

So  much  for  the  principles  to  which  ornament  of  every  kind 
must  conform.  Now  we  must  say  a  few  words  about  the 
ornamental  treatment  of  natural  forms  in  particular. 

A  mere  naturalistic  copy  of  a  plant  on  to  an  industrial 
object  will  not  in  itself  form  ornament.  It  will  neither  be 
interesting  because  of  its  fitness  for  its  purpose  (think  of 
a  spray  of  a  plant  used  as  a  gas  bracket,  the  stem  turned 
into  a  gas  pipe,  the  stamens  into  burners),  nor  will  it  be 
interesting  as  an  expression  of  human  thought  and  inven- 
tion. In  order  to  become  ornament,  natural  forms  must  be 
arranged  in  some  orderly  pattern  ;  they  must  be  simplified 
so  that  their  meaning  may  be  easily  grasped  ;  their  decora- 
tive qualities  must  be  expressed  in  the  material  in  question 
in  the  most  direct  and  effective  way.  The  technical  word  is 
con  ven  tionalised. 

Before  a  designer  uses  a  plant  as  ornament  he  will  study 
most  minutely  its  flowers  and  fruit,  leaves  and  leaf  junctions, 
even  its  roots,  and  then  select  and  emphasise,  perhaps  exaggerate 
those  features  most  suitable  for  his  purpose.  Yes,  even  exaggerate, 
for  it  is  not  necessary  that  a  designer  should  have  Nature's 
authority  for  every  form  he  uses.  The  point  is  that  there  should 
never  be  less  vigour,  less  fancy  and  individuality  about  his 
ornamental  forms  than  there  was  in  the  natural  forms  which 
suggested  them. 

It  always  gives  an  added  interest  to  a  design  when  we  can 
trace  the  natural  form  from  which  the  designer  started.  But 
even  this  interest  may  be  lost  and  yet  the  ornament  may  be  good. 
It  is  difficult  to  say,  for  instance,  what  plant  the  Early  English 
carved  foliage  most  resembles. 

The  extent  to  which  the  conventionalising  process  is  carried 
must  be  largely  a  question  of  individual  taste ;  some  people  will 
prefer  to  see  more  of  the  artist's  individuality,  some  more  of  the 
familiar  charm  of  Nature.  But  beyond  that  the  following  con- 
siderations will  be  found  important : — 

(i)  The  ornament  on  important  structural  feaures  must  be 
severe  and  conventional.  The  ornament  in  a  spandrel  or  a  panel 
should  be  much  more  naturalistic  and  picture-like  than  that  on 
the  piers  and  styles  which  carry  them. 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DESIGN  13 

(2)  The  more  stubborn  and  difficult  the  material  and  process 
in  which  a  design  is  carried  out,  the  more  simple  and  conventional 
should  be  the  ornament. 

(3)  There  is  something  impossible  and  exasperating  about 
the  appearance  of  a  vast  number  of  literal  copies  of  a  plant  over 
a  space,  all  showing  exactly  the  same  accidents  of  growth  and 


FIG.  16.— Pansy  and  Viola,     i.   White  ;  2.  crimson  ;  3.  purple  ;  4.   crimson  and  yellow; 
Height  6  inches. 

colour.  So  that  we  think  the  ornament  should  be  more  or  less 
frankly  conventional  and  non-natural  in  proportion  as  the  repeat 
of  the  design  is  more  or  less  frequent  and  obvious. 

In  conventionalising  natural  forms  one  must  be  very  careful 
to  do  it  consistently.     In  a  naturalistic  treatment  of  a  plant,  for 


14  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  17.— Crown  Imperial.     Flowers  yellow  or  red. 
Height  3  feet. 


FIG.  1 8. — Martigon  Lily.     Flowers 
purple.    Height  30  inches. 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DESIGN  15 

instance,  no  liberties  may  be  taken  with  its  growth  (Fig.  no). 
When  the  stems  are  twisted  in  an  arbitrary  way,  and  the  leaves 
made  rigidly  symmetrical  in  one  part  of  a  design,  a  naturalistic 
drawing  of  a  flower  must  not  be  introduced  in  another.  In  fact, 
it  must  then  be  made  quite  obvious  that  the  thing  is  intended  for 
ornament  and  not  for  a  representation  of  a  plant  (Fig.  131). 


FIG.  19. — Strawberry.     Running  growth.     Flowers  white  ;  leaves  6  inches  across. 


16 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  20. — Perennial  Sunflower.     Flowers 
yellow  ;  5  inches  across. 


FIG.  2i.— Giant  Thistle.     Light  blue-green  leaves. 
Flowers  purple.     Height  8  feet. 


FIG.  22. — Panel  designed  on  the  Blackthorn. 


CHAPTER     II 

SPACE   FILLING 

THE  first  exercise  in  practical  design  a  student  will  undertake 
is  the  simple  filling  of  spaces  with  natural  forms,  arranged  in 
obedience  to  the  principles  stated  in  the  last  chapter. 

The  two  things  to  be  considered  are,  first,  and  most  important, 
the  masses :  and,  second,  the  lines  connecting  them.  And  to 
begin  with,  the  masses  must  be  evenly  distributed  over  the  space, 
neither  all  in  one  corner,  nor  on  the  other  hand  spotted  about 
equally  all  over.  It  is  well  to  arrange  the  principal  mass  rather 
above  the  middle  of  the  panel,  because  this  is  the  place  one 
looks  at  first  and  it  will  appear  empty  if  it  is  not  made  especially 
interesting.  The  secondary  masses  will  reach  towards  the 
corners,  another  place  where  emptiness  must  be  avoided.  Then 
again  the  masses  must  be  symmetrical ;  if  the  two  sides  are  not 
exactly  alike  they  must  at  any  rate  be  well  balanced  (Figs.  73 
and  149).  In  fact  all  the  principles  of  repetition,  contrast, 
variety,  &c.,  will  more  or  less  consciously  come  into  play. 

C 


i8 


STUDIES  IN   PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  23. — Buttercup.     Golden  flower.     Fifteen  inches  high  ;  growth  running  or  upright. 
FIG.  24. — Meadow  Vetchling.     Golden  flower  ;  leaves  i  inch  across. 


SPACE  FILLING  19 

In  the  same  way,  in  order  to  secure  harmony  between  the 
connecting  lines  and  the  outline  of  the  space,  several  of  the 
principal  ones  must  repeat  (i.e.  be  parallel  to)  the  outline.  Or 
where  this  is  not  possible,  as  in  Fig  149,  the  same  end  may  be 
attained  by  a  subsidiary  border  line,  broken  into  by  parts  of  the 
pattern.  The  lines  must  also  harmonise  with  one  another,  they 
must  obey  some  common  law.  Radiation  is  invaluable  here  ; 
the  lines  may  either  radiate  from  one  point  (Fig.  33),  or  from 
two  (Fig.  34)  or  more,  or  from  a  horizontal  line  (Fig.  31),  or 
radiate  tangentially  from  a  spiral  or  circular  line  (Fig.  36). 


FIG.  25. — Design  for  a  cloth  book-cover. 

Lastly,  they  must  compose  with  each  other.  Nothing  per- 
haps is  more  useful  for  tying  a  design  together  and  giving  it 
unity  than  composition  of  line.  Lines  should  flow  gently  into, 
or  be  cunningly  arranged  in  continuation  of,  one  another,  as  the 
line  of  the  shoulder  is  continued  by  the  chin  round  the  opposite 
cheek.  They  should  form  pathways  along  which  the  eye  may 
wander  till  it  rests  contentedly  on  the  more  interesting  points. 

When  one  line  crosses  another  it  should  cross  at  right  angles. 
If  it  crosses  obliquely  the  eye  will  be  led  off  from  one  to  the 
other  to  the  utter  confusion  of  both  ;  besides,  the  resulting  square- 

C  2 


20 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


ness  gives  a  useful  contrast  to  the  curved  lines,  steadying  them 
and  preventing  an  unpleasant  whirling  look  that  designers  are 
often  troubled  with. 

With   the   same   object  of  steadying   and  strengthening  a 
composition  it  is  always  well  to  introduce  some  straight  lines 


FIGS.  26  to  29. — Designs  for  card-backs,  on  the  Poppy,  Tulip,  Dandelion,  and  Cyclamen. 

among  the  curved  ones  ;  especially  in  designs  not  themselves 
bounded  by  straight  lines  (Fig.  35). 

We  may  call  the  students'  attention  here  to  some  of  the 
more  common  designers'  devices  and  methods  of  treating  the 
background.  The  use  of  a  dark  outline  for  defining  forms  is 


SPACE  FILLING 


21 


FIG.  30.— Scotch  Thistle.     Height  up  to  4  feet.     Lower  leaves  sometimes   18  inches  long. 

Flowers  purple. 


22 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


well  known.  Figs.  35  and  64  are  examples  of  a  useful  way  of 
enriching  and  softening  forms  by  drawing  a  white  line  round 
them.  The  same  effect  may  be  obtained  by  an  outline  inter- 
mediate in  tone  between  the  pattern  and  the  ground  or,  in  the 


FIG.  31. — Panel  ornamented  with  Daffodil. 

case  of  a  light  background,  by  a  double  outline.  Figs.  38  and 
164  show  a  similar  plan  of  filling  in  the  background  with  con- 
centric lines.  In  Fig.  29  the  background  is  enriched  by  spots, 
and  in  Fig.  35  by  lines.  Backgrounds  may  be  enriched 


FIG.  32. — Panel  designed  on  the  Tulip. 

by  means  of  an  undergrowth  consisting  of  a  plant  of  a 
smaller  scale  than  that  forming  the  chief  pattern  (Figs.  124  and 
126),  or  water  plants  may  be  backed  with  a  conventional  repre- 
sentation of  water  (Figs.  102,  149,  180).  Or  again  the  smaller 


SPACE  FILLING 


FIG.  33.-Daffodil.     Height  »  inches.     Yellow  petals,  orange  trumpet. 


24  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 

details  of  a  plant  may  be  massed  together  over  the  background 
as  the  tendrils  in  Fig.  129. 

A  pattern  may  be  made  more  effective  by  varying  the  tone 
of  background  in  a  quite  arbitrary  manner  as  in  Figs.  34  and  90, 
or  lastly  the  colours  of  the  pattern  and  ground  maybe  systemati- 


FIG.  34. — Panel  based  on  Strawberry. 


FIG.  35. — Circle  ornamented  with 
Daffodil. 


cally  interchanged,  as  in  Fig.  66.  This  figure,  by  the  way, 
illustrates  very  strikingly  the  greater  richness  of  light  on  dark 
compared  with  dark  on  light.  Notice  how  small  the  details  look 
in  the  black  on  white  part,  although  these  are  actually  drawn 
larger  than  the  others  to  allow  for  the  spreading  of  light  on  the 
retina  of  the  eye. 


FIG.  36. — Spandrel  ornamented  with  Thistle. 


SPACE  FILLING 


FIG   37.  —  Hawthorn-blossom.     White  to  pink. 


FIG.  38. — Border  designed  on  Tulip. 


CHAPTER  III 

BORDERS 

A  BORDER  often  forms  a  complete  scheme  of  decoration  in 
itself.  The  ornament  on  the  book  cover  (Fig.  91),  the  plates 
(Figs.  49  and  53),  and  the  title  page  of  this  book  consists  of 
borders  only.  In  the  embroidered  table  centre  again  (Fig.  90) 


FIG.  39.— Border  based  on  Hawthorn. 

it  may  be  best  not  to  hide  a  beautiful  material  with  ornament, 
and  a  border  may  give  sufficient  interest.  When  a  border  is 
used  round  other  ornament  it  must  serve  the  purpose  that  a 
picture  frame  serves — contrast  and  add  value  and  compactness 
to  the  filling  ;  so  that  if  this  filling  is  severe  the  border  may  be 
interesting  and  important  ;  if  on  the  other  hand  the  filling  is 


BORDERS 


27 


FIG.  40. — Border  based  on  Chrysanthemum. 


elaborate,  then  the  border  must  be  simple 
and  severe  (Figs.  112  and  116).  To  help 
in  keeping  the  border  distinct  from  the  filling 
a  subsidiary  border  of  bands  and  lines  is 
often  used  (Fig.  112).  Sometimes  this 
inner  border  is  broken  into  by  the  filling,  as  in  Figs.  22 
and  148  (where  the  architectural  mouldings  would  form  the 


FIG.  41. — Hawthorn  Stipules. 


main   border),  and  sometimes  by  the  main  border  itself,  as  in 
Fig.  40.      These  bands  and  lines,  both  inside  and  outside  the 


28  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  42.— Chrysanthemums.     Colours  white,  crimson,  and  yellow. 


BORDERS 


29 


FIG.  43.— Border  designed  on  Thorn-apple. 


borders,  are  very  valuable,  too,  for  tying  the 
masses  of  ornament  together  (Fig.  90),  and 
require  very  careful  arranging. 

The    border    and    filling,   although    distinct, 
must  nevertheless   appear   to   belong  to   the   same   scheme  of 
decoration  ;  and  to  give  this  unity  of  effect  it  is  well  to  com- 


FIG.  .(.(. — Thorn-apple.     Flowers  white,  4  inches  long. 

pose  the  border  of  the  same  natural  forms  as  the  filling  but 
differently  treated  (Figs.  112,  116,  160). 

In    rectangular   repeating   borders   the   corner   is   the  chief 
difficulty,  and  must  be  considered  first.     It  will  be  found  that 


30  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


wG-  45-— Seaweeds.     A,  Sea  Tongs,   olive   green.      B,  Narrow   Ulva,  green  colour,     c,  Serrated 

Wrack,  olive  green,     n,  Horn  Wrack,  olive  green.     E,  Twin-bladder  Wrack,  olive  green.    F,  Knotted 

Wrack,  olive  colour.     G,  Oar-weed,  olive  green. 


BORDERS 


3' 


FIG.  46. — Seaweeds.     A,  Sea-Oak,  olive  green.     B,  Gulf-weed,  olive,     c,  Irish  Moss,  brown,  purple, 
yellow,  or  green.     D,  Rhodymenia,  Crimson.     E,  Peacock's  Tail,  green. 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


the  only  sort  of  border  which  will  run  round  the  corner  without 
alteration  is  one  whose  leading  feature  is  a  doubly  symmetrical 
boss  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  border  (Fig.  100).  A  border  on 
the  lines  of  alternating  right-angled 
triangles  will  fit  into  the  corner  very 
well  by  leaving  out  one  of  the  tri- 
angles (Fig.  43).  A  border  based 
on  a  rhombus  of  45°  would  also  fit 
in  all  right,  but  the  direction  of  the 

, ,  111  i_         i  i  FIG.  48. — Border  based  on  Cyclamen. 

growth  would  have  to  be  changed  at 

each  corner  and  in  the  middle  of  the  panel.  If  the  border  is 
chiefly  composed  of  vertical  elements  like  Fig.  90,  one  of  these 
may  be  arranged  diagonally  at  the  corner  without  much  altera- 


FIG.  49. — Border  based  on  Convolvulus. 


tion.  Another  plan  is  to  arrange  the  ornament  so  that  it  will 
dove-tail  together  at  the  corner  (Fig.  47),  or  overlap  the  corner 
as  Fig.  77.  Or  lastly  the  corner  may  be  specially  designed,  as 
in  Fig.  40.  Whichever  plan  is  adopted  it  should  be  remembered 


BORDERS 


33 


FIG.  50.— Convolvulus.     Flowers  white  to  pink,  2  inches  across 
FIG.  51.— Bryony.     Flowers  green,  berries  red. 


D 


34 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


that  the  corner  is  structurally  the  weakest  part  of  a  frame,  and 
the'ornament  should  appear  to  strengthen  it  and  bind  it  together, 
and  so  must  be  heaviest  and  richest  there. 


FIG.  52. — Canary  Creeper.     Flowers  yellow,  ij  inches  long. 

We  give  an  example  (Fig.  54)  of  a  border  applied  to  a  cup 
for  the  purpose  of  illustrating  how  the  pattern  may  be  projected 
on  to  a  curved  surface.  It  will  be  seen  that  there  are  a  number 


FIG.  53.— Canary  Creeper  border. 


35 


of  vertical  lines  drawn  over  the  pattern  corresponding  to  equal 
divisions  drawn  on  the  plan  of  the  curved  form  (i,  2,  3,  4,  5)  ; 
these  are  crossed  by  a  convenient  number  of  horizontal  lines 


FIG.  54. — Border  based  on  the  Strawberry. 


(A,  B,  C,  D,  E).  The  vertical  lines  are  projected  from  the  plan 
on  to  the  elevation,  the  cross  lines  put  in,  and  the  design  drawn 
freehand  in  each  of  the  foreshortened  spaces. 


D   2 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  56.— Bartonia  Aurea.     Golden  flowers.     Height  15  inches,  upright  or  running. 


CHAPTER    IV 


ALL-OVER    PATTK  R  N  S 


THE  simplest  form  of  all-over  patterns  is  the  diaper  (Fig.  64). 
Here  the  ground  is  divided  up  into  squares,  circles,  hexagons, 
or  other  figures,  and  each  figure  is  filled  tightly  with  a  pattern, 


FIG.  57.— Spot  and  powder  pattern  based  on  Bartonia. 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  58.— Campanula,  white  and  blue.      Height  30  inches. 

FIG.  59. — Astrantia.     Horny  petals,  green  outside,  pink  inside.     Height  24  inches. 

FIG.  60. — Cornflower.     Floret   white,  purple,  or  blue.     Height  24  inches. 


ALL-OVER  PATTERNS 


39 


FIG.  61. — Sprig  pattern.     Horned  Poppy  and  Goose  Grass. 

either  complete  in  itself  or  growing  out  of  the  adjoining  figure 
(Fig.  66).     If  only  one  figure  is  filled  up  at  intervals,  a  "  spot " 


FIG.  62.— Goose  Grass.     Running  growth  ;  leaf  whorls  2  inches  across. 


pattern  is  formed  ;   if  the  dividing  lines  are  omitted   and   the 
ground  covered  with  a  powdering  of  a  small  or  simple  device, 


40  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 

we  have  a  "spot  and  powder"  pattern  (Fig.  57)  ;  and  when  the 
spot  takes  the  form  of  spray  of  foliage,  the  design  is  called  a 
"sprig"  pattern  (Fig.  61).  Fig.  66  is  an  intermediate  form  of 
pattern  between  a  diaper  and  what  Mr.  Jackson  calls  a  free 


FIG.  63.— Horned  Poppy.     Flowers  yellow. 


all-over  ;  that  is,  one  in  which  the  ornament  grows  freely  over  the 
ground  and  the  repeat  is  not  noticeable. 

An  all-over  pattern  may  either  repeat  side  to  side,  as  in  Fig. 
64,  or  it  may  be  "  dropped  "  and  the  adjoining  repeat  placed  half 
its  depth  lower  down  than  its  neighbour  (Figs.  114,  119,  121,  124, 
&c.).  When  flowers  or  other  striking  features  are  repeated  over  a 


ALL-OVER  PATTERNS  41 

large  surface,  their  repetition  is  likely  to  develop  unforeseen  lines 
across  the  pattern,  and  the  dropping  of  the  repeat  largely  prevents 
this. 

Fig.  164  shows  how  a  free  all-over  may  be  schemed  as  a  drop 
pattern.     A  diamond  is  drawn  the  full  width  and  the  full  height 


FIG.  64. — Diaper  based  on  the  Daffodil. 


of  the  repeat,  and  the  ornament  planned  so  that  the  top  right 
hand  of  the  diamond  fits  accurately  on  to  the  bottom  left  hand, 
and  the  top  left  on  to  the  bottom  right-hand  side. 

The  accuracy  of  the  repeat  in  free  all-over  patterns  may  be 


42  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  65. — Fungi.    From  Sowerby's  models  in  British  Museum. 


ALL-OVER  PATTERNS 


43 


secured  either  by  tracing  one  repeat  and  fitting  it  on  to  all  four 
sides  of  the  design,  or  by  the  well-known  device  of  cutting  the 
design  into  four  and  fitting  the  right-hand  edge  to  the  left  and 
the  top  to  the  bottom. 


FIG.  66. — Interchange  pattern  founded  on  Blackthorn* 


44  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  67.— Parrot  Tulip.     Flowers  very  large,  all  ^ade;  of  yellow  and  red. 


FIG.  68. — Sturt   Pea.      Grotesque  vermilion  flowers,   3  inches  long,   with  purple  petals  in  centre. 

Climbing  growth. 


CHAPTER   V 

GESSO 

GESSO  work  may  be  described  as  modelling  ivitJi  a  brush 
whilst  the  material  is  in  a  liquid  state.  There  are  several  ways 
of  preparing  the  gesso.  For  small  work  that  known  as  gesso 
duro  is  perhaps  the  best.  It  is  made  of  whiting  soaked  in 
water,  glue,  and  boiled  linseed  oil,  with  the  addition  of  a  little 
resin.  Another  recipe  is :  plaster  of  Paris  and  size  with  a  little 
glycerine ;  this  has  to  be  used  very  quickly,  as  it  soon  dries. 
Both  these  are  kept  in  a  liquid  state  by  standing  the  vessel  in 
hot  water.  Alabastine  is  a  most  useful  ready-made  form  of  gesso, 
which  requires  only  to  be  mixed  with  cold  water  and  sets 
slowly.  It  is  also  sold  in  various  colours.  Denoline,  a  similar 
preparation,  is  recommended  by  Mr.  Walter  Crane. 


46 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.    69. — Narcissi.      A  white  flower,  cream-coloured  centre  ;  u  white,  yellow  centre  with  crimson 
margin  ;  c  yellow,  orange  centre  ;  D  yellow.     Height  from  8  to  18  inches. 


GESSO 


47 


In  beginning,  if  the 
ground  is  of  a  porous 
nature,  as  wood  or  plaster, 
it  must  be  first  coated  with 
lacquer  or  varnish.  The 
design  is  drawn  or  traced 
upon  it,  and  then  it  is  laid 
in  a  horizontal  position  to 
receive  the  gesso.  This  is 
mixed  into  the  consistency 
of  cream,  and  is  applied 
with  a  long  sable  brush, 
known  as  a  rigger,  which 
should  always  be  well 
charged  and  held  perpen- 
dicularly, and  the  liquid 
gesso  floated  on  to  the 
design.  Relief  is  obtained 


FIG.   70.— Bluebell. 


Height  8  inches, 
or  blue. 


Flowers  white 


FIG.  71. — Gesso  panel 
(Jonquil). 


by  going  over  the  same  pattern  repeatedly 
as  soon  as  the  coat  underneath  is  fairly  tacky. 
This  is  the  proper  way  to  work  gesso  for  it 
should  ultimately  appear  quite  textureless  ; 
and  if  the  mixture  is  too  stiff  brush  marks 
and  other  unevennesses  will  result.  When 
the  ornament  is  in  higher  relief  like  Fig.  73, 
the  gesso  must  be  mixed  stiffer,  and  cotton 
wool  or  tow,  pulled  out  into  small  pieces, 
must  be  added  to  strengthen  the  mass. 
Before  it  sets  gesso  can  be  modelled  with 
the  fingers,  or  with  the  modelling  tool  kept 
well  oiled,  and  when  dry  may  be  scraped 
down  and  carved  with  a  knife — but  this 
departs  from  the  character  of  gesso  work, 
which  should  be  kept  as  simple  and  direct 
as  possible. 

Before  colouring  gesso  work  one  should 
be  quite  sure  that  the  colour  is  an  improve- 


48 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT   FORM  AND   DESIGN 


GESSO 


49 


mcnt — it  is  often  best  without.  A  good  plan  is  to  repeatedly 
coat  the  work  with  white  bees'  wax  dissolved  in  turpentine, 
or  brown  or  white  shellac  dissolved  in  methylated  spirits  or 
naphtha  ;  or,  again,  with  linseed  oil.  Any  of  these  methods 


FIG.  73. — Gesso  panel  based  on  Parrot  Tulip. 


will  slightly  colour  the  gesso,  and  also  tend  to  harden  the 
surface.  If  the  waxed  method  is  properly  done,  and  a  hot 
iron  held  a  little  distance  from  it  to  drive  the  preparation  into 
the  plaster,  the  surface  will  bear  polishing,  when  dry,  with  a  silk 

i: 


50  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  74.— Autumn  Anemone.     Height  30  inches.     Flowers  white  with  yellow  stamens. 


GESSO  51 

rag.  The  wax  may  be  coloured  by  mixing  with  it  powdered 
colours,  but,  if  a  flat  tone  is  desired,  tempera  colours  may  be 
painted  on,  or  watercolour  applied  with  a  spray  diffuser.  If  oil- 
colour  is  used  it  should  be  very  thinly  laid  on,  or  rather  flooded 
on,  with  varnish  or  turpentine,  the  work  being  first  waxed  as 
above  to  prevent  absorption.  A  good  effect  is  obtained  by 


FIG.  75. — White  Pink.     Height  9  inches. 


FIG.  76. — Garden  Anemone.     Flowers 
crimson.     Height  8  inches. 


wiping  off  the  colour  in  the  raised  parts  with  a  rag,'  leaving  the 
darker  colours  in  the  hollows.  It  may  be  mentioned  that  a  fair 
amount  of  dry  colour  may  be  mixed  with  the  gesso  without 
injuring  its  setting  properties. 

Gesso  work  may  be  partly  or  wholly  covered  with  gold  or 
other   metal    leaf,  with  one  or  more  coatings  of  hard  drying 

E  2 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


r  IG.    77.  — Design    for   frame 
moulding  based  on  Teasel. 


FIG.   ?3.— Design  for  lock 
plate  based  on  the  Lily. 


GESSO 


53 


varnish  to  preserve  it.      Oilcolour  may  be  used  transparently 
over  these  metals.     Work  begun  in  tempera  may  be  finished  in 


FIG.  79.— Ox-eye  Daisy.     Height  2  feet.     Flowers  white,  yellow  centres. 


oil.     We  may  add  that  it  is  never  desirable  to  sacrifice  the  white 
of  the  material  to  white  paint. 

The  teasel  design  (Fig.  77)  is  intended  to  be  in  low  relief  in 
the  hollow  moulding  of  a  frame.     The  lock-plate  (Fig.  78)  is  for 


54  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 

low  relief  on  well-seasoned  wood  or  tough  mill-board  covered 
with  a  thin  layer  of  gesso,  and  should  be  either  treated  with  wax 
or  the  leaf-metals  lacquered. 


FIG.  80. — Wood  Anemone.     Height  8  inches.     Flowers  white. 


GESSO 


55 


FIG.  83. — Crocus.     Flowers  6  inches  high — yellow,  purple,  and  white. 


CHAPTER   VI 


EMBROIDERY 

EMBROIDERY  may  be  defined  as  the  enriching  and  setting 
off  of  beautiful  material  by  means  of  needlework.  The 
embroideress  should  consider  how  this  definition  affects  her 
design.  She  will  understand  why  she  instinctively  places  always 
a  richer  material  on  a  poorer,  never  a  poorer  on  a  richer.  So 
that,  while  silk  may  be  placed  on  linen l  or  canvas,  wool  on  linen, 
or  even  silk  on  silk  and  linen  on  linen,  she  must  never  place 
linen  or  wool  threads  on  silk. 

1  Langdale  hand-made  linen  is  specially  recommended  for  embroidery  by  Mrs. 
May  Morris  Sparling. 


EMBROIDERY 


57 


FIG.  84.— Branched  Burr  Reed.  FIG.  87.— Sea  Couch  Grass. 

FIG.  85.— Feather  Grass.  FIG.  8S.— Paper  Reed. 

FIG.  86.— White  Darnel.  FIG.  89  —Cotton  Grass, 

(from  Gerarde's  Herhal). 


EMBROIDERY 


FIG.  90. — Border  for  table  centre  in  applique  embroidery.     Suggested  by  Love-in-the-Mist. 

She  will  see,  too,  that  in  order  to  make  the  most  of  her  rich 
material,  it  is  best  to  adopt  light,  open  patterns,  and  use  solid 
filling  in  stitches  as  sparingly  as  possible.  This  last  however 


FIG.  91. — Embroidered  book-cover  based  on  Crocus. 

must  not  be  taken  as  a  hard  and  fast  rule.  In  a  very  effective 
kind  of  work,  for  instance,  called  "  outlining  and  darning,"  the 
background  is  entirely  covered  with  close  stitches  and  the  pattern 
left  plain. 


EMBROIDERY 


59 


FIG.  92.— Love-in  the-Mist.     Petals  of  flowers  5  to  20,  white  to  blue.     Height  18  inches. 


6o 


STUDIES  IN   PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  93. — Embroidered  book-cover  based  on 
Jonquil. 


The  essential  qualities  of 
all  good  needlework,  says  Mrs. 
Sparling,  "  are  a  broad  sur- 
face, bold  lines  and  pure, 
brilliant  and  as  a  rule  simple 
colouring."  There  are  other 
considerations  too,  which,  im- 
portant as  they  are  in  all 
sorts  of  ornament,  are  more 
than  ever  important  in  em- 
broidery. For  instance — never 
forget  the  conditions  under 
which  the  work  is  to  be  seen  ; 
do  not  squander  fine  and 
delicate  work  on  a  wall  hang- 
ing or  a  banner,  you  will  only 
make  it  niggling  and  ineffec- 
tive. For  that  kind  of  work 
consider  chiefly,  and  empha- 
sise well,  the  vital  lines  and 


masses  of  the  design,  and  re- 
serve minute  and  dainty  work- 
manship for  tablecloths,  doy- 
leys,  and  objects  near  the  eye. 

Again  it  is  always  well  in  de- 
coration to  keep  the  elements  of 
the  design  distinct  and  separate, 
and  to  avoid,  as  much  as  possible, 
the  appearance  of  one  object 


FIG.  94. — Jonquil.    Eighteen  inches  high.    Flowers 
creax-coloured  with  yellow  centres. 


EMBROIDERY 


61 


FIG.  95.— Gladiolus  Colvillii.     Purple,  white,  or 
J>ink.     Height  24  inches. 


FIG.  96.— Snapdragon.    Flowers  white  to 
deep  crimson.     Height  2  feet. 


62  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  97. — Scarborough  Lily.     Orange  flowers  on  flat  stem. 


FIG.  98.— Jessamine.    Flowers  white  ;  leaves  5  inches  long. 


EMBROIDERY 


being  behind  an- 
other; but  in  em- 
broidery where 
there  are  no 
sharp  edges,  and 

where  the  needle  must  be  rethreaded  for  each 
colour,  overlapping  should  be  especially  avoided. 
Fig.  91  errs  on  the  wrong  side  in  this  respect. 

Let  the  colours  of  the 
thread  be  as  brilliant  as  pos- 
sible. Colours  are  glaring,  not 
because  they  are  bright,  but 
because  they  are  inharmonious. 
Good  taste  in  colour  can  only 
be  acquired  by  the  (conscious 
or  unconscious)study  of  Nature. 
One  hint  may  be  given — keep 
on  the  blue,  green,  and  crimson 
side  of  the  scale,  and  avoid  the 
abundant  use  of  orange  and 
light  red.  A  valuable  device 
for  correcting  a  want  of  har- 
mony between  two  adjoining 
masses  of  colour  is  an  outline  of 
a  contrasting  colour  round  both. 
If  possible  obtain  threads 
dyed  with  kermes,  cochineal, 
indigo,  and  other  organic  dyes. 
Avoid  aniline  dyes,  because 
they  fade  and  also  because 
their  colours  are  vicious.  The 
threads  sold  by  the  School 

Fu;.  99. — Eml.roidered  border 

of    hanging  (Scarborough  of   Embroidery   at    Leek    are 

Lily). 

strongly  recommended. 

Much  of  the  charm  of  embroidery  depends  on 
the  fancifulness  and  ingenuity  of  the  stitches  employed.  We 
give  a  few  of  thess,  but  the  number  that  can  be  invented  by  the 
cmbroideress  is  almost  infinite. 


FIG.  100. — Border 
for  embroidery 
based  on  Water 
Lily. 


64  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  ioi.— Spanish  Iris.     Blue,  yellow,  and  white.    Height  30  inches. 


EMBROIDERY 


The  methods  of  working  the  crewel  or  stem  stitch,  Fig.  IO3A, 
the  chain  stich,  c  ;  the  satin  stitch,  E  ;  feather  stitch,  F  ;  padded 

stitch,  G ;  darning,  H ;  brick 
stitch,  I ;  double  feather  stitch, 
J  ;  and  the  filling-in  stitches, 
K  and  L,  are  clear  from  the 
drawing.  In  couching,  B,  a 
strand  of  threads  is  laid  on  the 
work  and  secured  to  it  by  cross 
stitches,  which  are  sometimes 
arranged  as  a  diaper.  The 
French  knots,  D,  are  formed  by 
bringing  the  needle  up  through 


FIG.  102. — Embroidered  portiere  based  on  Iris. 


filled 
102). 


in    with   a    variety    of 


FIG.  103. 

the  work  at  the  point  where 
the  knot  is  required,  twisting 
it  several  times  round  thread 
and  passing  it  through  again 
where  it  came  out.  The  split 
stitch,  M,  formed  by  bringing 
the  needle  up  through  the 
preceding  stitch,  forms  a 
clearer  outline  than  the  crewel 
stitch. 

The  best  sort  of  woolwork 
is  worked  on  a  large  scale  with 
bold,  striking,   outlined  curves 
fanciful    stitches    (Figs.    99   and 


66 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  104. — Nasturtium.     Flowers  yellow  to  crimson. 


EMBROIDERY 


67 


A    very    important    variety   of    embroidery   is    known    as 
applique.    Here  some  of  the  masses  of  the  design  are  embroidered 


FIG.  105. — Tropaeolum  Claratum.     Flowers  orange.     Climbing  growth. 

on  some  stout  material  (or  a  stuff"  backed  with  a  stout  material) 
with  gold  or  silk  threads.     These  are  then  cut  out  and  secured 


FIG.  106. — Embroidered  Doyley  (Nasturtium). 


to  the  silk  or  other  ground  by  threads  of  the  same  kind,  or  by 
an  edging  cord.  The  design  may  be  connected  by$  lines  of 
ornament  worked  on  the  ground  (Fig.  90). 

F  2 


68  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


ii?mj$'  *  ^y^-a* 


FIG.  107. — Horse  Chestnut. 
Fie.  io3. — Japanese  Honeysuckle.     Flowers  crimson  with  orange  stamens. 


FIG.  109.— English  Oak,  Holly,  Oak  apples.  Hazel,  Maple,  Turkey  Oak. 


CHAPTER  VII 

TEXTILES 

TEXTILES  are  composed  of  two  sets  of  yarns  crossing  at 
right  angles  ;  the  longitudinal  ones  are  called  the  warp,  and  those 
thrown  into  the  warp,  by  means  of  the  shuttles,  are  called  the 
weft.  It  is  evident  that,  for  the  shuttle  to  get  between  the 
stationary  warp,  some  of  the  yarns  must  be  raised,  and  this  is 
brought  about  in  figured  work  by  an  invention  known  as  the 
Jacquard  loom.  This  is  controlled  by  a  set  of  perforated  cards, 
the  perforations  being  disposed  according  to  the  pattern.  The 


70  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG    no. — Tapestry  hanging  base  don  Honeysuckle.    27  inches  across. 


TEXTILES 


pierced  card  comes  in  front  of  a  series  of  pins.     Some  of  these 
pass  through  the  holes  in  the  card  and  liberate  a  number  of  lines, 


FIG.  in. — Honeysuckle.     Flowers  crimson  outside,  yellow  inside. 

each  of  which  is  connected  with  a  particular  warp.  The  lines, 
draw  up  their  warps,  the  others  remain  horizontal  and  the 
shuttle  passes  between  them. 


FIG.  ii2.— Madras  muslin  (Christmas  Rose).     Repeat  18  by  9  inches. 


The  weft  is  usually  composed  of  richer  and  costlier  material 
than  the  warp,  and  is  used  to  form  the  most  prominent  part  of 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


TEXTILES 


73 


the  pattern.  A  different  shuttle  of  course  is  used  for  each  colour 
(sometimes  as  many  as  six  at  a  time,  though  two  or  three  are 
more  common)  but  by  "  planting "  the  flowers  and  various 
coloured  details  in  alternating  horizontal  rows  (Fig.  112)  more 
colours  may  be  used  without  increasing  the  number  of  shuttles 
used  at  the  same  time,  and  so  without  increasing  the  cost.  These 


FIG.  114. — Chenille  hanging  based  on  Sunflower.    36  inches  wide. 


rows  of  colours  may  be  so  cunningly  interwoven  with  a  common 
ground  colour  that  no  unpleasant  effect  will  be  noticed.  In 
materials  used  for  hangings,  however,  horizontal  lines  are  not 
objectionable  ;  in  fact  horizontal,  oblique,  and  large  curved  lines 
look  well  running  round  the  folds  and  bringing  out  their  form, 
only  predominant  vertical  lines,  which  would  confuse  the  forms 


74 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  115. — Sunflower.     Petals  yellow,  centre  yellow  to  brown.     Height  6  feet. 


TEXTILES 


75 


of  the  folds,  should  be  avoided.  It  should  not  be' forgotten,  by 
the  way,  that  in  an  open  textured  material  (which  is  really  a 
minute  chequer  of  warp  and  weft)  lines  which  are  only  slightly 
curved  and  are  nearly  vertical  or  horizontal  are  liable  to  come 
out  quite  straight  owing  to  the  step -like  formation  of  the 
stitches. 

In  designing  for  woven  fabrics  adopt  simple,  clear-cut  masses 


FIG.  116.— Damask  table  cloth  (Sunflower).    Repeat  of  filling  27  by  18  inches.     Border  repeat 

9  inches. 


of  tone  and  colour,  with  what  Mr.  William  Morris  calls  "  Gothic 
crispness  of  detail,"  avoid  shading,  and  rely,  for  richness  and 
variety  of  colour,  on  the  play  of  light  and  shade  on  the  texture 
and  folds  of  the  material. 

The  width  of  most  woven  materials  is  a  number  of  quarter- 
yards,  so  that  the  designer  will  be  safe  in  making  his  repeat  a 
multiple  of  9  in.  in  width.  Silk  must  have  a  divisor  of  63  in. 
for, the  width  of  repeat.  The  length  of  the  woven  repeat  is 


76  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 

limited  only  by  cost  of  card  cutting,  &c.      When  a  border  is 
woven  with  the  fabric,  one  must  be  very  careful  to  make  its 


FIG.  117. — Japanese  Rose.     White  and  pink,  scarlet  fruit. 


repeat  equal  to,  or  a  divisor  of,  that  of  the  filling.     (Figs.  112 
and  1 1 6). 

The  varieties  of  woven  fabrics  are  almost  endless,  the  follow- 
ing are  among  the  most  important : — 


TEXTILES 


77 


FIG.  118. — Horse  Chestnut.     Flowers  white  or  pink.     Fruit  2\  inches  across. 


FIG.  1 19  — Silk  brocade  based  on  Canary  Creeper. 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


TEXTILES 


79 


Damask.  In  linen  material  the  tones  are  obtained  merely  by 
the  play  of  light  on  the  weft,  which  forms  the  pattern,  and  shade 
on  the  warp,  which  forms  the  ground  (Fig.  116).  In  damask- 
curtains  and  silk  damasks,  the  pattern  is  more  closely  woven  than 
the  ground,  which  has  a  satin  look.  The  pattern,  being  less  rich 
in  effect  than  the  ground,  should  be  small. 

Brocatelle  and  Silk  Brocade  (Fig.  119)  have  on  the  other  hand 


FIG.  121. — Cretonne  based  on  Wild  Rose. 


the  pattern  raised  or  puffed  as  in  embroidered  satin  stitch,  and  this 
should  be  made  the  most  of. 

Real  Tapestry  is  a  fabric  worked  by  hand  into  the  tightly 
stretched  warp,  differing  from  embroidery  in  being  worked  into 
the  material,  instead  of  upon  the  finished  web  ;  but  the  term 
tapestry  is  commonly  applied  to  a  material  used  for  hangings  and 
furniture  coverings,  and  made  of  cotton,  or  wool,  or  both,  and 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


sometimes  mixed  with  silk  (Fig. 
no).  In  the  cheaper  sorts 
coloured  warps  are  used,  and 
take  an  important  part  in  form- 
ing the  pattern. 


FIG.  123. — Snowdrop.     Flowers  white  with 
green  markings.     Height  6  inches. 


Madras  muslin  (Fig.  112)  is 
woven  with  a  ground  of  a  fine 
open  web  into  which  one  or 
more  shuttles  bearing  yarns  of 
coarser  material  are  introduced. 

Where  it  is  not  required  in  the  pattern  this  coarser  yarn 
floats  free,  and  is  afterwards  sheared  off.  For  the  narrow 
folds  of  this  light  and  flexible  material  small  and  broken 


FIG.  122. — Indian  Corn  (from  Gerard^s 
Herbal).    Height  5  feet. 


TEXTILES 


81 


up   patterns   with   plenty  of  open-work  ground   are  evidently 
best. 

Chenille  (Fig.  1 14)  is  a  fabric  composed  of  heavy  cut  pile.  In 
this  material  the  pattern  is  already  printed  upon  the  wood  threads 
before  they  are  woven  into  the  cotton  warp.  The  colours  here 
may  be  unlimited  ;  massive  simple  patterns  are  those  most 
suitable. 

\ 

Most  fabrics — as  silks,  cretonnes,  muslins,  floorcloths — may 
be  ornamented  by  printing  in  coloured  dyes,  either  from  blocks, 


FIG.  124. — Cretonne  (Passion  Flower  and  Goose  Grass). 


which  are  used  for  the  better  materials  and  give  the  softer  and 
richer  effect,  or  from  copper  rollers,  which  are  used  for  the 
cheaper  sorts  of  textiles.  A  system  of  printing  on  jute  from 
india-rubber  rollers,  which  has  artistic  possibilities,  has  lately 
been  invented  by  Mr.  Webb,  of  Manchester.  Our  remarks 
on  the  design  of  woven  patterns  apply  pretty  much  to  printed 
ones,  except  that  one  is  here  allowed  more  variety  of  broken 
colour  and  finer  detail,  owing  to  the  facilities  for  hatching, 
dotting,  overlapping  the  transparent  dyes,  &c. 

G 


82  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  125.— Passion  Flower.    Flowers  white  and  blue,  4  inches  across. 


TEXTILES  83 

Especially  is  this  the  case  in  fabrics  printed  by  machinery 
from  metal  rollers  on  which  the  pattern  is  engraved.  Here 
by  the  free  use  of  stippling  and  shade  lines  of  varying  strength, 
and  by  the  use  of  two  or  more  rollers  carrying  the  same 
colour,  but  differently  engraved,  the  most  elaborate  gradations 
of  shading  and  realism  of  detail  may  be  obtained.  In  fabrics 
printed  from  blocks,  fine  lines  engraved  in  wood  would  soon 
wear  out  or  swell  up  unevenly  on  the  application  of  the  wet 


FIG.  126.— Cretonne  (Poppy  Leaves  and  Grass)  (30  inches  wide). 


colour,  but  even  here  considerable  fineness  of  detail  is  possible 
by  the  use  of  brass  wire  and  pins  as  described  in  the  chapter 
on  wall  papers  (Chapter  IX.). 

But  although  elaborately  naturalistic  details  are  possible 
(and  also  most  popular)  in  printed  fabrics,  they  cannot  be 
defended,  either  on  the  ground  of  economy  or  of  good 
taste. 

A  manufacturer  will  print  a  design  from  one  set  of  blocks 
in  a  large  number  of  different  schemes  of  colour,  and  it  is 

G  2 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.   127. — Blackberry- 


TEXTILES  85 

evident  that  for  this  purpose  the  details  cannot  be  too  simple 
and  conventional.  Moreover,  as  explained  in  the  first  chapter, 
naturalistic  forms  mechanically  repeated  over  a  space  can 
never  make  good  ornament. 

Every  tone  and  colour  is,  of  course,  printed  from  a  separate 
block  or  roller.  To  make  these,  tracings  of  each  piece  of 
colour  have  to  be  taken  from  the  designer's  drawing,  and  to 


FIG.  128.— Cretonne  based  on  Blackberry  (30  inches  wide). 

prevent  disappointment  it   is  advisable  to  assist  the  tracer  by 
leaving  a  definite  edge  to  each  bit  of  colour  in  the  design. 

The  colours  used  for  printed  fabrics  (except  floorcloths) 
are  transparent,  so  that  an  increased  number  of  shades  may 
be  got  by  superimposing  one  colour  on  another ;  but  the 
chemical  action  of  the  dyes  on  each  other  is  such  that  super- 
position is  best  avoided,  except  in  unimportant  details,  by 
all  but  experienced  men. 


86 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  129. — Design  for  printed  Cotton  based  on  the  Pea  (diamond  repeat,  30  X  21  inches)- 


TEXTILES 


FIG.  130. — Garden  Pea.    Five  Peta's  (i  large  standard  over  2  a\x,  enclosing  a  smaller  petals),  white 
to  pink.     Everlasting  Pea.     Five  to  10  flowers  on  a  stalk,  white  or  red. 


88 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


Cretonne  cloth  is  30  in.  wide,  and  the  repeat  for  block  print- 
ing must  not  be  more  than  21  to  24  in.  long;  the  roller-printed 
repeat  may  be  15  to  34  in.  long. 


FIG.  131. — Printed  Muslin  suggested  by  Honeysuckle  (30  inches  wide). 


TEXTILES 


89 


FIG.  132.— German  Iris.     Flowers  white  or  blue.     Height  24  inches. 


Fie.  133 — Stencil  Frieze,  Iris  pattern. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

STENCILLING 

A  STENCIL  plate  is  well  known  as  a  perforated  piece  of  card 
or  paper,  the  perforations  forming  either  the  pattern  or  the 
background.  It  is  not,  however,  until  one  has  studied  the 
productions  of  the  Japanese — those  masters  of  this  as  well  as  many 
other  arts — that  its  scope  is  realised.  An  examination  of  their 
work  shows  the  possibility  of  getting  the  most  delicate  patterns 
as  well  as  the  broad  effects  necessary  for  wall  decoration.  Some 
of  their  most  intricate  productions,  however,  through  necessary 
cutting  away,  are  so  fragile  that  not  enough  paper  remains 
to  hold  them  together ;  they  are  therefore  made  in  two  sheets 
cut  out  together,  and  fastened  between  them  is  a  layer  of  hair  or 
silk  threads,  which  do  not  show  in  the  painted  impressions. 

The  best  kind  of  cartridge  paper  is  good  to  make  the  plate 
of,  though  we  ourselves  prefer  thin  Bristol  board,  that  known  as 
"  two  sheet."  It  is  tougher,  and  a  cleaner  edge  is  obtained.  The 


STENCILLING 


FIG.  134.— Wild  Iris.     Three  feet  high.     Flowers  yellow.    German  Iris.     Flowers  pale  yellow. 

Height  30  inches. 


92  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 

oiled  paper  used  for  copying  presses  is  still  better  and  does  not 
require  sizing.  The  pattern  drawn  upon  this  is  cut  out  on  glass  with 
a  sharp  knife  having  a  square  point.  The  Japanese  manner  is  to 


FIG.  135. — Purple  Iris.     Eighteen  inches  high.     Scarlet  berries. 


push  the  knife  forward  as  the  engraver  uses  the  burin.  Small 
regular  spaces  are  punched  in  with  small  punches,  which  are  easily 
made  out  of  small  metal  tubes.  The  least  desirable  material  to 
use  is  the  metal.  The  accidental  bending  up  of  the  more  delicate 


STENCILLING 


93 


APPLE  BLOSSOM 

FIG.  136.— Apple.     Flowers  pink  and  white. 


PEAR  3LOSSOM 


FIG.  137.— Pear.     Flowers  white. 


94  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 

parts  can  rarely  be  successfully  straightened  out  again.  When 
finished  and  before  using,  the  Bristol  board  plate  must  be  sized 
on  both  sides  with  a  spirit  varnish  ;  that  known  to  druggists  as 
•"  knotting  "  is  the  best. 


CRAS-APPLE 


FIG.  138. — Crab  Apple.     Flowers  white  to  pink. 


In  designing  a  stencil  plate  its  limitations  must  be  recognised 
from  the  first.  An  important  requirement  is  that  the  whole  must 
be  held  together  by  a  series  of  ties.  These  must  not  be  in  the 
form  of  crude  or  unsightly  breaks,  but  should  form  part  of  the 
design,  and  must  be  provided  for  from  the  commencement.  They 


STENCILLING 


95 


should  not  be  painted  over  on  the  impressions  ;  that  would  only 
tend  to  make  the  pattern  look  like  a  rather  wooden  piece  of 
hand-painted  decoration.  The  ties  should  be  accepted  as  a 
necessary  condition  of  the  craft  (like  the  lead  lines  in  a  stained 
glass  window),  and  the  difficulties  of  their  arrangement  faced  and 


FIG.  139. — Diaper  pattern  based  on  the  Crab  Apple,  suitable  for  wall  decoration. 


overcome.  It  is  just  this  sense  of  difficulties  overcome  by  human 
thought  and  invention  that  adds  tenfold  to  the  charm  and  interest 
of  all  the  applied  arts,  and  it  is  just  the  absence  of  this  that 
makes  the  vast  mass  of  modern  machine-made,  cheap  decora- 
tion so  vulgar  and  uninteresting.  The  stencil  ties  should  be 
used  to  form  the  drawing  of  the  design,  to  outline  the  petals  of 
the  flowers  (Fig.  141),  or  form  the  veins  of  the  leaves,  or  be 


96 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


arranged  in  a  pattern  over  the  background  (Fig.  149).  When 
the  stems  are  too  long  to  hold  together  without  a  tie  in  their 
length,  advantage  may  be  taken  of  the  leaf  junctions  (Fig.  148), 
or  the  wrinkles  in  the  wood  (Fig.  1 39),  or  the  twist  in  the  growth 


FIG.  140. — Marsh  Marigold.     Flowers  golden  yellow.    Upright  or  running  growth.  Height  12  inches. 


which  is  such  a  characteristic  feature  of  some  plants  such  as  the 
vine  or  the  vegetable  marrow. 

The  brushes  required  for  use  are  round  stumpy  ones  of  soft 
hog-hair,  and  the  colour  is  applied  by  dabbing.  If  it  is  a  hard 
even  surface  that  is  to  be  ornamented  the  same  colours  used  for 
the  ground  must  be  used,  oil  or  tempera  as  the  case  may  be  ; 


STENCILLING 


97 


FIG.  141.— Design  for  diaper  based  on  the  Marsh  Marigold. 


II 


98 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


and  practice  alone  will  teach  the  consistency  of  the  colour,  and 
the  exact  amount  with  which  to  charge  the  brush  so  that  it  will 
not  spread  underneath  the  plate  and  blur  the  pattern. 

Besides  wall  decorating,  stencil  patterns  may  be  used  for  the 
enrichment  of  all  kinds  of  fabrics,  from  common  sackcloth  to 
fine  silk.  Dyes  are  used  for  this  purpose.  Messrs.  Lechertier, 
Barbe,  and  Co.  of  Regent  Street,  make  a  permanent  dye,  known  as 


FIG.  142. — Wild  Arum.   Twelve  inches  high.   Purple  flower  spike  enclosed  in  green  spathe.    Berries 

bright  scarlet. 


tapestry  colour,  that  does  excellently  for  this  work.  For  use  on 
coarse  material,  as  canvas  or  the  arras  cloths,  which  are  not 
likely  to  require  washing,  oil-colour  which  has  had  the  greater 
part  of  the  oil  removed  on  blotting  paper,  and  has  been  after- 
wards thinned  down  with  turpentine,  does  very  well.  It  is  soon 
evident  when  stencilling  on  cloth  how  much  colour  or  dye — which 


STENCILLING 


99 


is  used  very  thin — may  be  used  in  the  brush  without  spreading 
under  the  plate. 

The  Japanese,  who  use  nearly  all  their  stencil  patterns  to 
decorate  textiles,  have  another  way  of  using  their  plates.  The 
pattern  is  stencilled  on  with  a  "  resist " — a  substance  composed 
mainly  of  starch  paste.  This  protects  the  material  from  the  action 
of  the  dye,  and  when  the  stuff  has  been  dipped  in  the  dye  this 


p  m 

W* 1    />, )/>. 


38 

•Bra 

I  -A.  1    1 


*  I  r       v  r      \  r      \ 

^  B^g^iJHj 

K  |« W 

"^       *^^»    1  Hi  ^  ^      ^J?iL      '^i.'vll-  ^  *^^- 


FIG.  i43.-Stencilled  design  for  cloth  book  cover  based  on  the  Wild  Arum. 


"  resist "  is  washed  away,  and  the  pattern  remains  in  the  original 
colour  of  the  fabric. 

Stencil  plates  are  sometimes  used  in  pairs,  or  more ;  one 
forming  perhaps  the  background  and  the  other  printed  on  the 
top  in  another  colour  ;  but  with  a  bold  pattern  several  colours 
may  be  used  on  one  plate. 

One  of  the  most  delightful  features  of  stencil  decoration  is  the 
ease  with  which  beautiful  effects  of  broken  and  varied  colour  may 

H   2 


ioo  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  144.— Arum  Lily. 


STENCILLING  101 

be  obtained  from  one  plate.  The  colours  used  in  two  adjoining 
repeats  may  be  alternated,  or  a  gradation  of  colour  may  be 
arranged  between  one  part  of  the  work  and  another.  The 
colouring  of  Fig.  149,  for  instance,  might  range  from  rich  dark 
tones  at  the  bottom,  to  lighter  shades  at  the  top  ;  and  a  variety 
of  shades  might  be  introduced  in  the  flowers  in  Fig.  141.  The 
superiority  of  wall  hangings  stencilled  by  hand  with  tender 


FIG.  145.— Arum  Lily.     Flower  spike  yellow,  enclosed  by  white  spathe. 


broken  colours,  over  those  mechanically  printed  from  rollers,  has 
been  well  demonstrated  by  Mr.  Arthur  Silver  and  other  con- 
tributors to  the  Arts  and  Crafts  Exhibition. 

Of  the  designs  we  give,  the  diaper  (Fig.  141)  is  for  textile 
and  might  be  executed  in  two  tones  of  one  colour,  or  two  colours 
gray  in  tone.  The  Iris  frieze  and  the  spot  and  powder  pattern 
(Figs.  133  and  139)  are  for  wall  decoration.  Fig.  149  is  to  be 


102 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  146.— Tomato.     Flowers  yellow.     Fruit  yellow  to  scarlet. 
FIG.  147. — Potato.     Flowers  purple  white.     Fruit  green. 


STENCILLING 


103 


Fig.  148. — Stencil  panel  based  on  Tomato. 


FIG   145  —  Watsr  Lily  stencil  for  wall  hanging 


IO4 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


stencilled  on  a  light-coloured  cloth  with  a  darker  tone  of  the 
same  colour.  The  door  panel  (Fig.  148)  might  be  done  in  one  or 
more  colours. 


FIG.  150. — Water  Lily.     Flowers  white  with  gold  centre.     Leaves  12  inches  long. 


STENCILLING 


105 


FIG.  152. — Primula.     Height  TO  inches.     Flowers  white  to  crimson. 


CHAPTER  IX 

WALL   PAPERS 

WALL  papers  may  be  divided  into  those  for  the  dado,  the 
filling,  the  frieze,  and  the  ceiling. 

The  dado  is  the  supporting  member,  and  therefore  the 
ornament  may  be  heavy  in  mass  or  tone,  but  must  be  extremely 
simple  and  severe  in  form  ;  it  is  moreover  too  low  down  for  any 
careful  examination  of  an  elaborate  pattern.  The  frieze  should 
be  bold  and  heavy  in  treatment,  as  it  is  to  be  seen  at  a  greater 
distance,  and  forms  a  border  for  the  filling  ;  it  should  contain 
lines  appearing  to  give  support  to  the  cornice  above.  The 
"  filling  "  of  the  space  between  the  dado  and  frieze  should  always 
appear  flat ;  anything  in  the  nature  of  strong  spots  or  violent 
contrast  of  tone  or  colour  must  be  avoided,  partly  because  these 
would  have  an  unpleasant  effect  of  cutting  into  and  weakening 


WALL  PAPERS 


107 


the  wall,  and  partly  because  the  filling  has  to  serve  as  a 
background  for  pictures,  and  must  not  compete  with  them 
in  value. 

Wall  papers  are  printed  from  blocks  or  rollers  2 1  inches  wide, 
on  paper  22  inches  wide  ;  the  length  of  the  block  may  be  rather 


FIG.  153. — Ceiling  paper  based  on  the  Vine. 


more  or  less  than  21  inches,  but  not  much  more,  or  the  block 
would  become  unwieldy  for  the  hand  printer.  In  machine  work, 
where  a  roller  is  used,  it  is  not  desirable  to  go  beyond  17  inches 
in  the  length.  The  frieze  is  generally  7,  ioj,  or  21  inches 
wide. 


io8 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


Fic."i54. — Lilium  Croceum.     Flowers  orange,  leaves  in  helical  curve  up  stem.     Height  36  inches. 
FIG.  155. — Lilium  Pomponicum.   Two  to  four  yellow  flowers  greatly  reflexed.    Twenty-four  inches 

high. 


WALL  PAPERS 


109 


The  repeat  of  a  pattern  should  either  be  clearly  seen,  and  a 
feature  made  of  it,  or  it  should  be  not  noticeable.  When  the 
repeat  of  the  design  is  obvious,  the  more  conventional  the  design 
the  better  (Chap.  I.). 

An  important  device  for  making  the  repeat  unobtrusive 
is  that  known  as  stepping  or  dropping  the  pattern  (see  Chapter 
IV.). 


FIG.  156. — Dado  design  based  on  Lilies. 


It  would  appear  at  first  glance  that  the  limit  of  21  inches 
restricts  the  width  ;  but  if  a  "  step  "  or  "  drop  "  pattern  is  arranged 
within  a  space  like  the  sketch  over-leaf,  so  that  the  ornament  in 
the  spaces  A  A  when  placed  together  in  the  next  piece  of  paper 
by  the  side  of  space  B  forms  the  complete  pattern  within  a 
diamond,  then  the  pattern  will  be  really  42  inches  wide  (Fig. 
164).  Again,  if  the  design  in  the  one  space  of  21  inches  is 


no  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  157.— Oriental  Poppy.     Six  scarlet  petals,  black  at  base.     Height  40  inches. 


WALL  PAPERS 


in 


symmetrical  on  a  diagonal  line,  then  the  block  may  be  swung 
round  a  quarter  at  each  impression,  thus  forming  a  pattern 
42  inches  square  (see  sketch). 


Care  should  be  taken  when  colouring  a  design  to  use  as  few 
colours  as  possible,  as  a  separate  block  is  required  for  each  colour 
and  another  for  the  outline.  Some  of  the  most  successful  designs 


FIG.  i$3. — Dado  based  on  Lily. 

are  those  executed  in  monochrome,  or  in  one  colour  on  a  paper 
of  another  colour. 

In  making  the  actual  block,  the  design  is  transferred  upon  it, 


ii2  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  139  —Peony.     Five  unequal  sepals  ;  5,  10,  or  more  petals,  crimson  to  white.     All  parts  very 

irregular  in  growth. 


WALL  PAPERS 


Cologne  in  the  Cookery. 

It   is  no   secret   that  the   French   cull-  » 
nary  expert  employs   eau  de  cologne  to  J 
roduce  with  other  essences  that  subtle, 
^sterioiTs,     but    delicious    flavor    ,  Eton  ,- 
Sed   in-  fruit    salads    and   other    cook-  fcj 
ery   confections.    In  the   genuine  cologne  - 
there  is  compressed  extract  of  rosemary 
Sd  lemon  thyme.  Here  is  a  real  French 
dessert    Put  in  a  salad  bowl  a  layer  of 
chopped  ice,  well  powdered  with   sugar 
and  upon  this  a  layer  of  bananas;  again 
a  hanSful  of  chopped  ice  and  sugar    and 
after    this    bananas,     repeating    till    the 

full   as  required.    Pour  upon    g-rn 
thTfruit  a  wineglass  of  white  wine  and  \rj% 
,f  water,  in  which  you  have  dipped    ^ 
Hump  of  sugar  that  has  absorbed  three 
drops    of    almond    essence,    and    anotl 
that  has  absorbed   three  drops  of  genu- 
ine  eau   de   cologne. 


FIG.  160.— Wall  paper  and  frieze  based  on  Peony.     Repeat  21  inches  by  ioj  inches. 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


. 

's  just  because  you 
only  au  ordinary,  nineteenth  ceuti 
American  boy,"  replied  Perseus.  "Cc 
on,  and  let's  go  and  find  Medusa,"  > 
he  grabbed  Reggie's  hand  and  went 
ing  away  through  the  air.  After  t' 
had  gone  a  long  distance  they  spied  w 
looked  like  three  women  lying  asl 
on  the  sand  on  the  ^hore  of  an  isla 
"There  they  are  now!"  cried  Perst 
"and  by  good  luck  they're  asleep.  DC 
make  a  bit  of  noise,  and  I'll  whack 
Medusa's  head  before  they  wake  up." 
they  came  nearer  to  the  monsters  Ref 
was  greatly  frightened  at  their  lo< 
They  had  the  faces  of  'beautiful  won 
but  their  hair  was  no  hair  at  all, 
a  great  multitude  of  snakes,  wt 
writhed  and  curled  around  their  he 


FIG.  159  —Peony.     Five  unequal  sepals  ;  5,  10,  or  more  petals,  crimson  to  white.     All  parts  very 

irregular  in  growth. 


WALL  PAPERS 


FIG.  160.— Wall  paper  and  frieze  based  on  Peony.     Repeat  21  inches  by  ioj  inches. 


II4  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM-AND  DESIGN 


Ifl-E-V  U. 


FIG.  i6i.-Iceland  Poppy.     Height  about  10  inches.     Colour  white,  red,  and  yellov 


WALL  PAPERS  115 

and  the  parts  which  are  required  on  this  particular  block  coloured 
in.  The  workman  then  proceeds  to  cut  away  the  background  in 
much  the  same  manner  as  a  woodcut  is  produced,  the  outline 
being  formed  by  flat  brass  wire  driven  edgeways  into  the  wood. 
In  the  cheaper  kinds  of  paper,  which  are  printed  by  machinery,  the 


FIG.  162. — Design  for  wall  paper  on  the  Iceland  Poppy.    Repeat  ioj  inches  by  16  inches. 


different  colours  are  printed  at  once,  the  paper  passing  under  the 
rollers  in  succession. 

A  much  more  expensive  wall  paper  is  that  stamped  in  relief, 
to  imitate  stamped  leather  :  in  this  method  the  paper  is  stamped 
into  a  mould,  and  is  afterwards  usually  gilt  and  lacquered,  or 
treated  in  a  variety  of  ways  by  colouring. 

I  2 


u6  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


Fro.  163.-  Sea  Holly.     Twenty-four  inches  high.    Blue  leaves  and  florets. 


WALL  PAPERS 


IF7 


In  wall  papers,  as  in  all  other  sorts  of  decoration,  very  much 
depends  on  the  colours  employed,  more,  perhaps,  even  than  on 
the  form  of  the  design.  Fig.  162,  for  instance,  might  be  made 
very  unsuitable  for  wall  decoration  by  the  injudicious  use  of 
contrasting  colours,  and  especially  of  contrasting  tones.  The 
ceiling  paper,  too  (Fig.  153),  in  the  black  and  white  necessary  for 
reproduction  would  be  far  too  strong  for  its  purpose,  and  in 
practice  \vould  be  printed  in  two  very  light  shades  of  the  same 
colour.  Ceiling  papers,  by  the  way,  must  be  designed  so  that 
they  do  not  look  upside  down  when  seen  from  either  end  of  the 
room. 


FIG.  164. — Wall  paper  founded  on  Sea  Holly.     Illustrating  arrangement  of  drop  frit  tern. 
Repeat  42  inches  by  21  inches. 


ii8  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  165. — Teasel. 


FIG.  166. — Tile  diaper  suitable  for  dado. 


CHAPTER  X 

TILES 

TlLES  may  be  used  for  decorating 
walls,  reredoses,  splays,  jambs,  friezes,  and 
hearths  of  fireplaces,  cabinet  work,  pave- 
ments, and  many  other  purposes.  They 
are  generally  6  to  8  inches  square,  but 
are  also  made  in  hexagonal,  octagonal, 
and  other  shapes.  Most  tiles,  whether 
plain,  printed,  or  in  relief,  are  made  by 
pressing  powdered  clay  into  the  moulds  ; 
this  is  done  to  ensure  the  least  possible 
warping  and  uneven  shrinking  in  firing. 
For  the  same  reason  the  raised  parts  of  a 
tile  should  be  as  equally  distributed  as 
possible.  When  the  tile  is  in  high  relief, 
however,  the  plastic  clay  is  generally  cast 
in  moulds.  The  following  are  the  most 
important  kinds  of  decorated  tiles  : — 
Tiles  painted  by  hand  (Fig.  180),  with  the  ordinary  enamel 
colours  used  to  decorate  porcelain,  and  afterwards  glazed.  For 


FlG.  167. — Fritillary.  Eighteen 
inches  hij;h.  Flowers  purple 
brown. 


120 


STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


obvious  reasons  of  economy  a  design  intended  to  be  so  executed 
must  be  effective  at  as  little  cost  in  labour  as  possible,  and  should 
not  be  over-loaded  with  detail. 

Printed  tiles  (Figs.  166,  169,  172,  174).  Here  the  pattern 
is  transferred  from  an  engraved  copper  plate,  by  means  of  transfer 
papers,  on  to  the  tile  when  it  is  in  a  biscuit  or  unglazed  state.  This 


FIG.  168.— Teasel.    Height  4  feet.     Florets  lilac. 


process  is  the  cheapest  and  the  most  extensively  used.     The 
designer  has  few  if  any  technical  restrictions. 

Stencil  plates  are  largely  used  in  the  decorating  of  tiles  and 
give  a  richer  effect  than  we  get  in  those  which  are  mechanically 
printed.  Quite  a  number  of  plates  are  often  used  for  the  same 
pattern  (see  Chap.  VIII.)  ;  by  this  means  fine  effects  of  broken 
colour  arc  obtained. 


TILES 


Majolica  or  Embossed  tiles  (Fig.  178)  have  the  pattern  in  slight 
relief,  and  are  made  more  effective  by  being  dipped  in  a  trans- 
parent coloured  glaze,  which  runs  into  the  hollows,  emphasises 


FIG.  169. — Hexagonal  tiles  based  on  Teasel. 


the  forms,  and  gives  a  very  rich  effect.  The  high  lights  may  be 
further  lightened  by  wiping  off  the  glaze  where  required.  Some- 
times more  than  one  coloured  glaze  is  used,  applied  with  a 
brush. 


122  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  170.—  Flowering  Rush.     Two  to  four  feet  high.  ^Flowers  rose  colour. 


TILES 


123 


In    Incised  tiles  the  pattern   is  incised  or  stamped  in,  and 
emphasised  as  above  with  a  rich  transparent  glaze. 

Pate  stir  Pate  is  the  painting  in  a  white 
or  coloured  "  slip  "  (clay  thinned  with  water) 
on  a  ground  of  a  different  colour.  This  slip, 
which  may  be  coloured  to  10  per  cent,  with 
metallic  oxides  by  well  grinding,  has  to  be 
applied  to  the  unbaked  article  ;  and  when 
it  is  fired  the  thinner  layers  have  a  trans- 


FIG.  172. — Tile  diaper  on  the  Clematis. 

lucent  effect,  slightly  showing  the  colour  of 
the  ground  beneath.  The  "  slip "  must 
always  be  of  the  same  clay  as  the  ground 
to  ensure  equal  shrinkage  when  fired. 

This  process  is  recommended  to  students. 
A  dried  unbaked  piece  of  pottery  is  easily 
obtained  from  a  manufacturer,  together  with  the  clay  to  form 
the  "  slip,"  which  should  be  made  just  thin  enough  to  be  worked 
with  a  brush.  It  should  be  applied  in  layers,  care  being  taken 


FIG.  171. — Tiles  for  splays 
of  fire-place  based  on 
Flowering  Rush. 


124  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  173  —Purple  Clematis,     Flowers  4  inches  across. 


TILES  125 

that  the  layer  beneath  is  quite  dry.  The  ornament  unbaked 
will  appear  as  an  opaque  mass,  and  the  appearance  of  the 
ground  colour  through  the  thin  layers  when  baked  must  be 
allowed  for.  Whilst  unbaked  the  ornament  may  be  worked 
upon  with  steel  tools  and  with  the  liquid  "  slip  "  to  any  extent, 
but  when  baked  no  alteration  is  possible.  We  would  refer 
the  student  to  the  article  in  the  second  volume  of  The  Studio 
by  M.  Solon,  the  introducer  of  the  process. 


FIG.  174.— Tiles  for  hearth  designed  from  the  Dahlia. 

Encaustic  tiles  are  moulded  with  the  clay  in  a  plastic  state,  the 
pattern  being  cut  or  stamped  in  to  T\-  of  an  inch  below  the 
surface,  so  as  to  form  hollows  in  which  "  slips "  of  differcnt- 
coloured  clays  are  poured.  When  these  become  as  hard  as  the 
body  of  the  tile  the  surface  is  made  even  by  scraping  with  a 
steel  tool.  They  are  very  useful  for  pavements  and  hearths,  on 
account  of  the  depth  of  the  coloured  decoration,  an.d  for  obvious 
reasons  must  be  very  simple  in  design. 


126  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  175. — Single  Dahlia.     Flowers  white  to  yellow  and  crimson.     Height  4  feet. 


TILES 


127 


The  designer  of  tiles  must  of  course  keep  before  him  the 
fitness  of  his  design  for  the  position  it  is  to  occupy  as  well  as  the 
process  by  which  it  is  to  be  executed.  For  instance  a  hearth  or 
floor  tile  (Fig.  174)  should  appear  as  a  plan  and  very^at  and 


^\\\ 


FIG.  176. — Perennial  Corn-flower.     Leaves  sheathed  round  stem.     Florets  white  and  blue. 


must  not  contain  lines  of  growth  in  a  vertical  direction,  like  the 
tile  for  a  splay  (Fig.  171).  We  may  add  that  by  arranging  a 
design  diagonally  across  a  6  inch  tile  on  similar  lines  to' Fig.  I53> 
a  pattern  12  inches  square  may  be  obtained. 


128  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  177. — Opium  Poppy.    Flowers  white  to  crimson  and  purple.     Height  30  inches. 


TILES 


129 


(5) 
outline 


One  word  more  on  the  vital  import- 
ance of  colour  in  all  kinds  of  decorative 
design.  The  best  design  may  be  spoilt 
and  the  worst  may  be  redeemed  by  its 
colour  —  its  colour  is  the  first  thing  one 
notices  about  it. 

We  give  here  Owen  Jones'  rules 
for  coloured  decoration.  We  do  not, 
ourselves,  believe  in  hard  and  fast  laws 
on  the  subject,  but  they  may  at  least 
be  useful  as  suggestions  to  young 
students.  They  are  as  follows  :  — 

(1)  Primary  colours   should  be  used 
only   on    small    surfaces   and    in    small 
quantities,   balanced   and   supported   by 
the  secondary  and  tertiary  ones  on  larger 
masses. 

(2)  The    primary  colours  should   be 
used  on  the  upper  portions  of  objects, 
and  the  secondary  and   tertiary  on  the 
lower. 

(3)  When  ornament  is  on  a  ground 
of  a   contrasting   colour,   the   ornament 
should  have  an  edging  of  a  lighter  tone 
of  its  own  colour. 

(4)  Ornament    on    a    gold     ground 
"S2^rd^Stin'     should   be   separated    by  an    edging   of 

a  darker  tone. 

Ornament  on  white  or  black  ground  may  be  left  without 
or  edging. 

K 


130  STUDIES  IN  PLANT  FORM  AND  DESIGN 


FIG.  179. — Arrowhead.     Eighteen  to  thirty  inches  high.     Flowers  white,  upper  ones  sterile. 


TILES  131 

(6)  No  composition  can  ever  be  perfect  in  which  any  one  of 
the  three  primary  colours  is  wanting,  either  in  its  natural  state 
or  in  combination. 

But,  after  all,  there  is  only  one  way,  we  must  repeat,  in 
which  colour  may  be  learned,  that  is  by  the  study  of  Nature, 
in  her  withered  leaves,  the  plumage  of  her  birds,  her  flesh 
colours,  her  flowers  and  sun-sets.  In  Nature  the  student  will 
find  a  quite  inexhaustible  variety  of  schemes  of  colour  which 
he  must  not  simply  glance  at  but  try  to  copy.  Of  course  he 
will  fail  to  realise  any  one  of  them  to  his  satisfaction,  but  at 
least  he  will  have  learned  what  colour  means,  and  will  have 
found  out  for  himself  that  colour  is  the  crowning  glory  of  art. 


FK;.  180.— Painted  tiles  for  frieze  based  on  Arrowhead. 


RICHARD   CLAY  AND   SONS,    LIMITED,    LONDON   AND   BUNGAY. 


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A     000  085  441     4 


